Chapter Text
The afternoon sun beat down on the immaculate grass of the Taddfield High School baseball field. The air smelled of freshly cut grass and damp earth. Crowley leaned against the dugout fence, arms crossed, watching the team practice with an expression that was a mixture of boredom and disdain.
The scouts were there, of course. As always. A line of men in suits with clipboards, noting every move of the new prodigy pitcher. They had come from all over the state to see Anthony J. Crowley. The kid with the physics-defying curve and the straightaway that sang as he passed.
Crowley, however, didn't care about them at all. His eyes, hidden behind his characteristic dark glasses, were fixed on the receiver the coach had assigned him. Another one. Another new face, another new pair of gloves, another hope that this time it would be different. Crowley already knew it wouldn't be.
The catcher, a burly boy named Sandalphon, threw his glove to the ground in frustration after his tenth attempt to catch one of Crowley's pitches. "This is impossible!" he yelled, his voice echoing across the empty field. "The ball doesn't come straight! It moves! It's like trying to catch a damn hummingbird!"
Crowley merely shrugged, a thin, awkward smile on his lips. "The problem isn't the ball, Sandalphon. The problem is that your hands are slower than your ideas. And that's saying a lot."
The coach, a gray-haired man named Mr. Young, sighed, running a hand over his face. He'd heard of Crowley's reputation. He knew he was a nightmare. But he also knew he was the best. "Crowley," he called, his voice weary. "Let's try again tomorrow. With another receiver."
"Which one?" Crowley asked, a challenging tone in his voice. "We've already gone through all the receivers on the team, coach. They all gave up."
Mr. Young looked across the field, toward the bench where a fair-haired boy sat reading a book. The boy seemed completely oblivious to the chaos that had broken out on the field. "Not all of them," said the coach, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "We haven't tried it with Aziraphale yet."